Firmware metadata and migration in virtualized systems
AssigneeRed Hat Israel, Ltd.
InventorMichael Tsirkin
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Abstract
A system and methods are disclosed for employing firmware metadata and migrating firmware in virtualized environments. In accordance with one example, a hypervisor that is executed by a computer system obtains an address of a firmware program stored in a non-volatile memory of the computer system. The hypervisor also obtains metadata that specifies a set of capabilities of the firmware program, where the metadata is not accessible to any virtual machine hosted by the computer system.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- obtaining, by a hypervisor executed by a computer system, an address of a firmware program that is stored in a non-volatile memory of the computer system;
- and
- obtaining, by the hypervisor, metadata that specifies a set of capabilities of the firmware program, wherein the metadata is not accessible to any virtual machine hosted by the computer system.
A computer system comprising:
- a non-volatile memory to store a firmware program;
- and
- a processor to:
- execute a hypervisor,
- obtain, via the hypervisor, an address of a firmware program that is stored in the non-volatile memory, and
- obtain, via the hypervisor, metadata that specifies a set of capabilities of the firmware program, wherein the metadata is not accessible to any virtual machine hosted by the computer system.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, having instructions stored therein, which when executed, cause a first computer system to perform operations comprising:
- receiving, by a hypervisor of the first computer system, a query from a second computer system inquiring whether the hypervisor supports a set of capabilities of a firmware program;
- checking, by the hypervisor, whether the set of capabilities is supported by the hypervisor;
- and
- transmitting, to the second computer system, a response to the query indicating whether the set of capabilities is supported by the hypervisor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.